Can't enable Personal Hotspot on iPhone 5, iOS 6
kovey
Enthusiast - Level 2

I just joined Verizon with the iPhone 5.  I joined my wife's existing Verizon Wireless account, and turned it into a "share everything" plan. 

The Personal Hotspot feature on her new iPhone 5 works just fine.  It doesn't work on mine.  I'm presented with this error message, to call Verizon at 611 to enable. 

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-wjVIS_eFG7s/UGHoW_f1AII/AAAAAAAAEqc/LX2M9mjHqE8/s400/photo%25201.PNG  https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-i_Sdl8vBNK8/UGHoXVpFbBI/AAAAAAAAEqk/fPW7EEaGiU0/s400/photo%25202.PNG

I've called Verizon twice, and they ensured me that the features and permissions are the same on both lines, but it still doesn't work.

When I got the iPhone 5, I restored to iCloud backup instead of setting up as new.  I tried restoring to new phone to see if that would help, and it still didn't work.  Apple said it must be a Verizon issue if the restore didn't help.

 

I also tried resetting network data, that didn't work.

Anybody else run into this issue?  I'm at a complete loss and nobody seems to be able to help.

Labels (1)
1 Solution

Correct answers
Re: Can't enable Personal Hotspot on iPhone 5, iOS 6
kovey
Enthusiast - Level 2

Your solution was basically what worked.  There is no way to do this online in your account, but a girl at a third verizon store was able to fix this for me.  She shut off the phone, deleted the feature from my line, re-added it, turned the phone back on, and hotspot was enabled and working flawlessly. 

This is what appeared on the "service changed" receipt emailed to me afterwards (in case you want to walk into a verizon store and show them how to do it):

Added Service :

MOBILE HOTSPOT 4G PROVISIONING

Removed Service :

BLOCK MHS/PRE-PROVISIONED MHS

View solution in original post

Re: Can't enable Personal Hotspot on iPhone 5, iOS 6
khancock
Newbie

Kovey,

I am experiencing the same thing. I called Verizon and unfortunately, they were clueless. Please let me know if and how you were able to resolve your issue. I cannot find anything online or on my account to enable, either.

0 Likes
Re: Can't enable Personal Hotspot on iPhone 5, iOS 6
dimap52
Specialist - Level 1

Try switching SIMs after a data reset. See what that does. If that works, then you should be able to switch back.

0 Likes
Re: Can't enable Personal Hotspot on iPhone 5, iOS 6
nsk
Newbie

Have you tried enabling/purchasing/adding the mobile hotspot feature via the My Verizon website?  Might be worth a try.

0 Likes
Re: Can't enable Personal Hotspot on iPhone 5, iOS 6
kovey
Enthusiast - Level 2

Your solution was basically what worked.  There is no way to do this online in your account, but a girl at a third verizon store was able to fix this for me.  She shut off the phone, deleted the feature from my line, re-added it, turned the phone back on, and hotspot was enabled and working flawlessly. 

This is what appeared on the "service changed" receipt emailed to me afterwards (in case you want to walk into a verizon store and show them how to do it):

Added Service :

MOBILE HOTSPOT 4G PROVISIONING

Removed Service :

BLOCK MHS/PRE-PROVISIONED MHS

Re: Can't enable Personal Hotspot on iPhone 5, iOS 6
jbatchelor
Enthusiast - Level 1

I called Verizon and they mentioned that you can't turn on/configure your personal hot spot until you turn off your wifi connection.  In other words, you can't configure an outgoing wifi signal while your phone is running on an incoming wifi signal.  Go to Settings ->WiFi and make sure it is turned off.  Then attempt to configure your Personal Hotspot.

Re: Can't enable Personal Hotspot on iPhone 5, iOS 6
kovey
Enthusiast - Level 2

That is false information.  You certainly can enable hotspot without first disabling wif, regardless of being connected to the wifi or not.

Read my post above.  It was already resolved by having them remove the feature and add it back to the account. 

0 Likes
Re: Can't enable Personal Hotspot on iPhone 5, iOS 6
Marc66
Newbie

I got the same error. I was able to originally set up the mobile hotspot from the main settings page. It was the 4th button from the top. But as soon as I enabled it, the mobile hotspot button disappeared. I was only able to see it on the cellular menu that you screen shotted above. I tried 2 different Verizon customer service reps who didn't know how to fix this. One was a manager at a Verizon store and said this feature wasn't enabled yet and that Apple had to release a software update for it to work.

Having said that, I tried to disable the WIFI and then I was able to enable the mobile hotspot from the cellular menu. It had a pop-up that said I needed to enable WIFI. I clicked okay and it is running now.

The personal hotspot menu item is now back where it was: on the main settings page, 4th item from the top.

0 Likes
Re: Can't enable Personal Hotspot on iPhone 5, iOS 6
Ren0
Newbie

Kovey - I had exactly the same problem and followed the exact same solution, achieving success right down to the same content on the receipt.

The only distinction I faced was that I had to go to 2 stores, because the CSR at the first store stonewalled and said he needed a 'tech team' to look at any issue with the device.

Great advice and thank you for posting it. For others - this solution is correct...I even printed out the solution, which eased the resolution when I brought it in.

0 Likes
Re: Can't enable Personal Hotspot on iPhone 5, iOS 6
Telemarker
Newbie

I had the same issue after transfer of service from an iPhone 4 (iOS 6) device to an iPhone 5.   Since my iPhone is for business use and I have access to the Verizon Enterprise Support line I contacted them regarding the issue.   It appears that a 3G Personal Hotspot Plan does not transfer directly over to a 4G plan so the iPhone 5 wasn't provisioned with the Personal Hotspot service.   I worked with them to provision the a 4G Personal Hotspot plan onto the iPhone 5 and rebooted the device and then I was able to enable the Personal Hotspot service.    Based on my experience it sounds like the issue is related to a provisioning issue/equivalant transfer between 3G and 4G services that require intercession by Verizon Customer Support either in the store or via their call center. 

0 Likes